The present invention relates to electrical connector assemblies, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly having a secondary terminal locking feature.
Persons skilled in the electrical connector arts know to use various lock features for insuring that a terminal stays seated in a connector.
In a common case, each wire or lead has a terminal crimped on its end. The terminal slides into a connector that usually hosts a number of other leads. Each terminal has a primary lock that prevents the lead from being pulled out of the connector once the terminal is inserted. As shown in FIG. 3, the primary lock is a spring-biased tang.
There is also a secondary terminal lock that prevents release of a terminal once it is inserted into the connectorxe2x80x94in the event that the primary lock fails. The secondary terminal lock is usually some sort of abutment extending from the connector that abuts a portion of the terminal. One type of secondary terminal lock is a sliding version that includes a bar which slides laterally across the connector in a track behind the row of inserted terminals. Once the bar is inserted, it abuts the terminals to prevent them from being removed. Another type of secondary terminal lock involves a number of pins mounted on a hinged arm. The arm is hinged to the electrical connector so that it can be pivoted about its hinge to force the pins down and into position behind the terminals. Both designs are satisfactory, but they require an operation that is unnecessary. They also limit the number of applications. And, in the case of the slide lock, there are extra parts that are not always necessary.
A secondary terminal lock for an electrical connector assembly includes an inner connector and an outer connector. The inner connector defines at least one elongated terminal space adapted to receive a wire terminal. The outer connector defines a slot adapted to receive the inner connector in telescoping engagement. The secondary terminal lock is disposed adjacent to the terminal space and has a flexible shaft and a distal head having a cam lobe and a forward facing abutment. When the assembly is assembled with a terminal disposed in the terminal space and with the inner connector fitting within the outer connector, the cam lobe slideably engages the outer connector and causes the head to deflect and move the abutment behind the terminal to prevent rearward movement of the terminal within the inner connector which would otherwise jeopardize the electrical continuity of the mated connector assembly.
Preferably, the inner connector has a plurality of such secondary terminal locks each aligned with their respective terminal space, and all actuated by the singular act of mating the inner connector with the outer connector. The inner connector preferably has a side wall which is disposed flush with the shaft of the secondary terminal lock prior to actuation. Also prior to actuation, the cam lobe of the secondary terminal lock projects laterally outward beyond the side wall, but is flexed inward, when engaging an inner surface of the outer connector which opposes and is in close proximity to the side wall of the inner connector.
An advantage of the present invention is the addition of a secondary terminal lock which does not require an extra assembly step to actuate.
Another advantage of the present invention is the incorporation of a secondary terminal lock which does not require extra parts.